Machine for polishing needles and the like.



L. A. WHARRAD.

MACHINE FOR POLISHING NEEDLES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED lULY 911914.

Patented J an. 2, 1917.

t E i LIONEL ALFRED WHARRAD, OE, REDDITOH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE. WHARRAD ENGINEERING COMPANY, LIMITED, OF REDDITCH, ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR POLISHING NEEDLES AND LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Application filed July 9, 1914. Serial No. 849,985.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LIONEL ALFRED WHARRAD, a subject of the Kingdom of Great Britain, residing at Wharrad WVorks, Redditch, in the county of Worcester, England, have invented a Machine for Polishing Needles and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises a new or improved machine or apparatus for effecting the polishing and like'operationsin connection with needles, screws, pen nibs, or other articles of a cylindrical or like nature, and it has for certain of its various purposes to generally improve such operations'and to provide for the carrying on of such operations in an expedient manner.

According to. the present invention the needles or other articles wrapped or inclosed in suitable fabric are subjected to the polishing or like process by being rotated, oscillated, or otherwise manipulated between a drum or equivalent member, and an endless band, the arrangement being advantageously such that in the operation the drum or equivalent member and band are moving in opposite directions so that the packets of needles or members revolve about their own axes without being bodily" displaced.

By this invention the machine or apparatus is much more compacthaving regard to the space which :it occupies, it is enabled to carry through a considerable larger amount of work; the amount of labor and power necessaryis'materially reduced, and generally the process of polishing or similarly treating the needles or like operations is considerably cheapenedand simplified.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and easily carried into practice, reference may be had to the appended explanatory two sheets of drawings, on which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation 'of a machine according'to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig.1. In a convenient embodiment of the present invention,-I provide upon or'in connection with a suitable machine a drum or barrel member a having a cylindrical external surface. Such drum or barrel member is adapted to be suitably driven andto be rotated or oscillated.

Suitably mounted in relation to each extremity'of the barrel is a stationary annular ring or plate Z), and rodsor pivots a extend from the stationary plate 6 at one end to the stationary plate I) at the other end of the barrel, said rods or pivots being adapted to carry wooden or other rollers cl which 00- cupy' positions at intervals aroundthe periphery of the upper part of the drum a, the rollers being in proximity to, but out of contact with, the external surface of such drum.

Such rollers d are disposed at such a distance away from each other as to permit of the insertion between each pair of rollers of one of the usual packets e of needles made up in the manner customarily adapted for undergoing the polishing or like operation, the needles being for this purpose wrapped or inclosed in a suitable covering of fabric or textile material, which also incloses the polishing agents, such as emery powder and soft soap. A number of these substantially cylindrical packages 6 of needles are adapted to occupy positions between the respective pairs of rollers 65, and such packages -are then adapted to be encircled or embraced by an endless flexible band orbelt f which may be of canvas, leather, leather links or other suitable material. Such endless belt f is adapted to encircle or embrace the upper part of the drum a in relation to which the rollers d and packages 6 are disposed, and the band f extends away from the lower part of the drum and continues downwardly to a point at which it encircles another drum 9 which is controlled by gravity, or by a spring or springs or both, and adapted to apply the desired tension to the belt. One'arrangement for applying this effort is shown in Fig. 2 in which the shaft j of the drum 9 is carried in bearings is fitted to slide vertically in casings Z and being controlled in their sliding movement in relation to such casings Z by springs m. The casings Z may themselves be adjustable, so that the advantage of the springs m are obtained at all positions of adjustment, and for the purpose of providing for the adjustment of the casings Zvertically screwed stems 17. may be provided adapted to work within externally screwed formations provided upon the casings Z. Said screwed stems n are suitably carried by the stationary casing of the machine in bearings which permit of their rotation while restraining them from longitudinal movelnent so that by rotating the screwed stems a the casings Z are collectively displaced carrying with them spring on bearing is and drum 9. To provide for the collective operation of the screwed stems n each may be furnished with a fixed bevel wheel 0, the bevel wheel gearing with bevel wheels p 29 upon a main transverse shaft 9. A'

hand wheel r or other suitable means may be provided for rotating one of the screwed stems n and by rotating such hand wheel a collective adjustment of the two'bearings is thus obtained.

The rollers (Z between the packages 6 are advantageously of such size and so disposed that with the packages of their normal shape and size the said band 7 is out of contact with the rollers, but the distance between each pair of rollers (Z suitably exceeds the-diameter of each package e so that in actual operation the packages may be compressed to an oval formation, the major axis of which continuously changes in relation to the package, so that by the operation an eliicient kneading or like operation'upon the packages and their contents results, whereby a particularly satisfactory polishing or like operation results. If desired the rollers (13 may be of an oval or eccentric shape whereby an irregular application of the pressure applied by such rollers may be imparted to the packages, and for the same purpose the drum may be of eccentric or irregular formation to impart an intermittent pull or tension to the belt and consequently to the packages. Throughout the polishing operation the annular end plates 6' carrying the rollers (Z continue to occupy a position in which the rollers remain in relation to the upper part of the periphery of the drum a. Such plates 6, however, are so installed as to permit of their being collectively rotated until the rollers 03 occupy a position inrelation to the lower part of the drum a, this being for the purpose of facilitating the removal and insertion of the packages.

A tray, chute or the like it may be disposed at a level below the drum at a position between the depending portions of the belt f and upon which tray the packages may fall on rotating the cage composed of the end plates and rollers. The said tray k may as shown in Fig. 2 be extended at 7L and any suitable means may be incorporated to provide for the convenient removal of the packages from between the plates 6 to the to the band, or if desired the band may be driven to impart rotation to the drum, Or, in a second alternative, both drum and band may be driven. In a'further alternative arrangement, as for instance in cases in which an oscillatory movement is employed, one of the members, either the drum or the band may be stationary, the other member being adapted to oscillate, in which case the cage may be adapted to oscillate so that the packages of material are, enabled to roll backwardly and forwardly in their oscillatory movement in relation to the stationary member. Ifdesired, provision may, be in corporated for imparting a lateral movement to the belt, that is'to say, a movement where by the belt is displaced backwardly and forwardly in relation to the length of the drum, the belt, however, being advantageously of such width that at all times it embraces the full length of the packages. In cases in which the machine is adapted to work continuously it'may work in either direction and the direction mayif desired be reversed periodically.

Two or any suitable number of the drums may be providedupon or in connection with a single machine. i c

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A polishingmachine of the character described comprising in combination, a drum, stationary annular plates, one oneach side of said drum, meanscconnecting said plates and adapted to receive one package of needles, and an endless belt encircling said packages, a second drum around which said belt is' carried, meansfor tensioning said belt, meansfor operating said packages and their contents for effectively polishing the latter, and means for, removing'the packages from between the plates, substantially as described. V 2. A polishing machine of the character described comprising in combination, a revoluble drum, stationary annular plates one on each-side of said drum, rods connecting said plates, rollersnpon said rods adapted to receive one packageof needles between each pair of said rollers, and an endless belt encircling said packages, a second drum around which said belt is carried, means for tensioning said belt, means for operating said packages and their contents for eifectively polishing the latter, and doors on said plates and a; tray or chute below said drum .between the branches ofsaid belt for removing the packages from between the plates and for receiving them, substantially as described.

, 3. A polishing machine of the character described, comprising in combination, a drum, stationary annularplates, one on each side of said drum, means connecting said plates and adapted to receive one package of needles, and an endless belt encircling said packages, a second drum around which said belt is carried, a spring controlled vertically movable drum, a casing for the spring, stems for adjusting said casing and means for operating said stems for vertically displacing said casing and drum for tensioning said belt, means for operating said packages and their contents for efl'ectively polishing the latter, and means for removing the packages from between the plates, substantially as described.

4. A polishing machine of the character described comprising in combination, a revoluble drum, stationary annular plates one on each side of said drum, rods connecting said plates, rollers upon said rods adapted to receive one packet of needles between each pair of said rollers, and an endless belt encircling said packages, a second drum around which said belt is carried, means for tensioning said belt, bevel Wheels for collectively adjusting said tensioning means, means for submitting the packages and their contents to a kneading action for effectively polishing the latter, doors hinged to said plates and a tray or chute beneath the same for removing and receiving the'polished articles, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

ARTHUR H. BROWN, F. Ancus'rus DADY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

